Every time you open a content application such as LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, or X, your attention is being diverted into someone else’s life, business, or ego. The tax isn’t paid in dollars, but rather time and focus. How often do we open an application, and twenty minutes later we are still “doom scrolling” looking at someone’s content feed? How often is our mood changed by seeing content we don’t agree with, or that disturbs us?
And this is only going to get worse in 2025. Why? Because of Artificial Intelligence.
Every time we look at our screens, Artificial Intelligence is studying what we look at, and for how long we look at it, and it focuses on giving us more similar content in the future.
It takes massive self-discipline to stop the scrolling, because it is addictive. Like sugar, how difficult is it for us to look at a Tiramisu, and to say, no thank you, not today, or cigarettes for smokers.
How much more productive would it be if this time was spent, say, working on a business, developing a skill, reading a book, or having a constructing conversation with another human?
We only have 24 hours in a day. Approximately eight of those are spent sleeping, another eight working, 3 commuting and gymming, and two hours having meals and one doing necessary chores. At most, say we have three hours per day for free time. And this assumes we don’t yet have kids. This time is extremely valuable, and we should protect it wisely.
How do we resolve this? I think the only way is by putting in rules, or principles. Such as a trigger that whenever you open an app and find yourself scrolling, a light should go on in your head saying “switch it off”.